What Has Become Of Me?

I wake up to the thud of footsteps beneath me and the soft rocking in the strong arms, wrapped securely around me. My body aches. Physically and emotionally I’m exhausted. I move my head and nuzzle it into who I can only assume to be Dominick.

“I’ve got you Anika, you’re home and safe” Dom whispers comfortingly in my ear.

I give a soft sigh as sleep threatens to creep up again.

“Do you want me to run you a bath?” Dom asks softly as he lays me down on top of the covers on my bed.

“No” I mumble.

“You’re a bit of a mess” Dom tells me and I feel him brush a strand of hair out of my face.

“Sleep” I utter.

My nakedness is the last thing on my mind, besides Dom already saw it all after my first change. I roll over and snuggle into my pillow.

“Hold still” Dom instructs and I feel his arm lift my head and shoulders.

With his free hand he grasps the blankets pulling them back for me. He then repeats this with my legs before tucking me beneath the cosy covers.

“Good night” Dom whispers leaving a soft kiss on my bloodied forehead.

Sunlight, my worst enemy, has made an attack on my sleep-in; the nerve of it. I scrunch my eyes tighter but that light continues to warm my face as it pours from my slightly open curtains. I refuse to get up. I’m not moving, no way. Desperately I try to hang on to my drowsiness but now I can hear commotion downstairs raising the noise level already created from the noisy neighbours rushing for work or putting out their wheelie bins and those birds; must they chirp so loudly? Still I refuse to get up, I will stay in this bed for the rest of my days. My skin feels disgusting and crusted. My hair is a mattered mess. I want a long hot shower. Every place those disgusting men touched now feel like they need a biohazard squad.

A memory of last night, that pig of an alpha’s hands roaming me, hits me and suddenly the numbness of everything is painfully removed. I feel the disgust, the desperation and fear that should have hit me last night. Tears slowly begin dripping down my cheeks. I watch as they fall onto my bedding. It stains red from the blood that had collected off my skin. The fact I murdered someone last night crushes me. I ended a life.

The thoughts swirling around in my head bring me to an emotional wreck that barely allows me to recognise the footsteps heading towards my room. Everything in the room disappears and I just stare at my plain white walls.

“Anika” Brian greets cheerfully from my door.

I don’t turn to look at him. Nothing changes except more tears slowly dripping from my cheeks. A sob builds up and gives way to an onslaught of them that wrack my body.

“Oh, Anika” his voice is now much more concerned and he sets something aside.

I feel his arms encase me in a hug, pulling me into his chest. My gaze doesn’t move. I’m a mess. Brian shushes my sobs and rocks us back and forth. I was kidnapped, I was assaulted and I could have been stuck there for life.

“Its fine” Brian soothes, “You’re home safe, no one will ever harm you.”

He can’t make those promises. How can anyone be safe? I’m a human-wolf hybrid. Any werewolf could kill me or just use me. Any pack that has me, can potentially use me to control all packs. I’m more powerful, or at least will be, then an ordinary wolf. There’s a reason humans and wolves can’t have children together, it’s because a hybrid child causes too much unrest. A hybrid is faster, stronger and the female’s pull over the men is stronger.

Brian says no more, he lets us rock on the bed in silence. My sobs start to calm. His warmth and embrace provides comfort. Finally I’m quiet and calm. I feel much better having cried my heart out with someone here just to hold me. Maybe once a pack claims me, in just twenty seven days, I will be officially safe.

I take a deep breath, it’s then I smell the mouth watering scent wafting around my room.

“Is that pancakes?” I whisper.

Brian chuckles. For ten minutes all I’ve done is cry and now I’ve finally said something.

“Sure is; choc-chip” Brian tells me.

He gets off the bed and grabs the tray he had previously set aside. I frown as I notice I’ve left massive wet patches and blood stains over his otherwise white T-shirt.

“Sorry about your shirt” I mutter as he sets the tray on the blankets covering me.

“No worries, it was a boring shirt anyway” Brian responds with a grin.

I waste no time in digging into my food after yesterday without food or water. Brian watches with a massive grin.

“I could get used to this room service” I tell him before reaching for the orange juice at the top of the tray.

“Dream on girl” Brian says quickly.

I giggle slightly. Now my hunger is starting to become less of a concern, I now have time to focus on other things, like my discomfort of Brian watching me eat.

“What?” I whine as he chuckles for the billionth time.

He just shakes his head.

Once I’ve finished my breakfast, Brian removes the tray from my lap. I snuggle down in my bed, only to be blinded by that evil sun again.

“Close the curtains” I mumble.

I’m like a baby; I’ve been fed and I’m wrapped up in warmth so it’s nap time. Brian obliges before softly padding his way to the door.

“Thank you” I whisper and he just smiles to me.

Peace comes over me as I close my eyes.

Not two seconds after I’ve closed my eyes some unimaginably evil being bounds into my room and jumps on my bed. I use my best tactic, close my eyes tighter; it may not have helped against the sun but just maybe it might work now.

“Rise and shine!” Seb chirps merrily bouncing on the bed.

I just moan in discomfort without opening my eyes. Suddenly the evil being teams up with my other enemy. Blinding sunlight pours into my room after Seb throws open my curtains.

“No!” I yell, “I thought you were my friend!”

I’m not too sure if I’m yelling at my lovely protective curtains or Seb but I do so without opening my eyes.

“No time for sleeping!” Seb declares.

“Why?” I whine.

“Because Jett’s stash ran out” Seb replies as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

“It did?” someone gasps from the doorway in horror.

I open my eyes and squint through the evil light to see Jett gapping in shock at Seb. Sebastian looks at me a bit nervously.

“Now you’ve done it” he mutters.

“Up girl!” Jett yells, storming over to my bed.

I shake my head fiercely and grip my blankets around me tighter. Seb and Jett nod their heads as Brian stays back watching this all unfold. Jett moves to the end of my bed and starts pulling at the end of the doona. I hold tighter. If this is removed all I will have left covering myself is the sheet I wrapped protectively around my body. Tug-of-war with a full grown, and might I add motivated, werewolf is very difficult. Finally I lose my grip just as the cover looks ready to rip in two. I clutch the sheet tight around my body and throw a pillow over my face.

“No!” I yell muffled by the pillow.

Suddenly arms wrap around me and sling me up. I wince a bit from the bruises, they hurt but I don’t let them know. Jett looks down at me in his arms after the pillow falls off me.

“Woman” he says seriously in a serious whisper, “this is a matter of life and death, you need to get ready.”

I can’t help but laugh at him. He frowns suddenly turning to a pouting expression.

“Don’t you care about me and my well being?” he asks pretending to be hurt.

I sigh.

“Fine” I give in.

“Move, move, move!” Jett yells at everyone and rounding them out the front door.

Everyone except Dan, he sat on the couch. When I first came down after a very thorough shower all Dan had done is hold me in the tightest embrace for ten minutes. After five minutes Jett looked about ready to explode with his impatience.

Jett closes the door then sprints for the car, as if the house is going to explode.

“Start the car!” he screams, “start it!”

Dom rolls his eyes but obliges. I buckle my seat belt having once again been stuck in the same seat from the last time we used this car to get to Silver Bullet. Jett throws himself into the seat beside me and straps himself in.

“Drive!” he commands as I watch Nathan and Chase hop into another car.

I thought Jett would have been driving since we are back in his car again but he seems a little too excitable to be allowed behind the wheel. Where are they taking me now?

My question is answered as we pull to a stop at the local supermarket. Grocery shopping? Now I’m really suspicious. How many late teens to early twenties men actually voluntarily shop for groceries? All of the boys jump out of the car and I follow suit. Nathan and Chase walk up to us as I squint in the awful sunlight. I notice Chase is wearing sunglasses and quickly pluck them off his face.

“Hey” he whines as my eyes thankfully accept the relief brought by the glasses.

Chase raises his hand as if to steal them back but Brian stops him.

“Leave them, they look better on her” Brian tells him thoughtfully.

Chase rolls his eyes and I just can’t help myself, I poke my tongue out childishly at him. That all too familiar, mischievous glint in Chase’s eyes that never leaves, sparks and he opens his mouth to say something, but is stopped by Jett who grabs my arm and drags me towards the supermarket.

“I need my fix!” Jett declares impatiently.

Seb is the one to first grab a trolley and something deep inside my brain tells me it is a bad idea to let him push it. The aisles are fairly empty, only occasional shoppers browse. Jett doesn’t release my arm, he just continues dragging me along. The other guys step aside every now and then to grab items they seem to need. Finally Jett stops his quick power walk. He grins at the blue boxes before him and at this moment I swear he is seven not twenty one. Seb comes sailing down the aisle, riding the shopping trolley, being pushed by Chase. They skid to a halt by us. Jett grabs five boxes. Who needs that many Oreos? He places them down in the trolley after demanding Seb get out.

“All set?” Nathan asks as he strolls over to us.

“Yes” Jett replies happily, “Wait, on second thought.”

Jett to my horror, walks back over to the shelves Oreo’s are set upon. He wraps his arm around about five more and place them in our trolley. Not much else sits in the trolley other than a pair of boxers that are marked down, a whoopee cushion, three packets of chicken flavoured chips and a jumbo container of crunchy peanut butter. These groceries don’t look like they’ve come off the list of some reluctant men, instead it looks like some teenagers spending their pocket money while on a sugar high.

I follow the guys to the register with a giggle. Any horrible emotions or thoughts I had this morning have vanished, leaving only a slight twinge of embarrassment and simple happiness. The middle aged lady at the register gave us a smile that showed just how stupid she thought we are.

Seb ran a few paces after we had left the air-conditioning through the automatic doors, once he was satisfied with the speed he had achieved, he springs up to support himself on the handlebar. He flies off through the parking lot towards the car.

“Don’t hurt my Oreos!” Jett yells after him seeming unconcerned of the risk that Seb could ride that trolley right into the side of his car.

We load up the groceries into the car and then suddenly Seb has the dumbest suggestion I’ve ever heard.

“We could trolley surf home” he whispers with wide, excited eyes.

The other guys get the same expressions, excluding Nathan and Dom who had gone off in the other car because there are too many of us to comfortably fit in one vehicle.

“That’s the dumbest thing I’ve heard” I tell them.

They all fake a gasp and look at me horrified.

“Ever tried it?” Chase asks and I shake my head.

“That settles it, Anika shall be surfing home” Brian says as if that is the only ’rational’ conclusion.

“No!” I exclaim and back away.

Chase and Brian, being the two biggest men, dart over to me and grab me. Seb has been rummaging around in the back of the car then finally emerges what he was looking for, rope.

“You guys are cruel” I whine from where I was tied into the cart;, which was tied to the back of the car.

“It’ll be great fun, trust us” Seb chirps.

Sure, great fun, just like Silver Bullet was. I pout and pull at the ropes. They are comfortably done up but not loose enough to slip out of. Without any more conversation the boys all get into the car. The parking space in front of them is empty allowing them to slowly pull out forwards. My trolley, and soon to be coffin, is tugged along behind them. Carefully they round the corner making sure that I’m not flung off into some nearby object. A slight wind ruffles my hair and my stomach starts doing flips, this could end so badly. I sink my teeth into my bottom lip and wince. Before we can go further the car stops. Chase hops out of the passenger seat with none other than a motor bike helmet. He jogs over to me and places the helmet on my head which makes me even more nervous.

“Never can be too safe” he tells me comfortingly before taking back his sunnies, “wouldn’t want these damaged” he explains as a joke but it makes me nearly pass out with nerves.

Once Chase makes it back to the car, we are off again. My trolley trundles along the pavement, sending vibrations through its metal frame. The boys don’t go too fast but that changes when a police car enters the parking lot. Immediately they make for the exit at the speed limit, which is a lot faster than the pace they had been previously travelling at. The police officers notice us at once and put on their siren as the boys pull out of the parking lot. Oh dear God, I’m going to die.

My hair flies out behind me as the police car gives pursuit. The boys speed up a bit more and the police car tries to stay a fair distance back as to not crush me. I glance back at the police officers to see the passenger one indicating to his wrists, now they’ve seen I’m tied to this. Can this get any worse? The realisation hits me, I’m no longer bound by human limits. A real smile spreads across my face. Sure I could feel some pain but it is unlikely to kill me due to my healing speed. Werewolves heal quicker than humans, and hybrids heal even quicker. That’s why my injuries from yesterday are all but gone.

“Whoo!” I scream out letting go of my fears.

The boys must have caught my moment of release because now they really do go at a fast pace. A massive grin finds it’s way to my face as adrenalin pumps through my veins at a crazy pace. I’ve lost my mind, and I’m loving it.

“Pull over!” the police officers demand but the boys don’t.

They could get in some really deep trouble for this. The boys turn onto a less used road and that’s when everything gets bumpy. I know this neighbourhood is bad news; I’d be rolling up my window and locking my door at this time, if I had either of those things. Now the police car slows down considerably, it isn’t a place officers normally go into. The police are hardly the law over here. The boys know full well where we are and they speed up. My shopping trolley flies from side to side but stays on a fairly straight path. Suddenly the boys take a corner that sends me flying up to nearly beside the driver’s window. Seb waves at me with a massive grin and I can’t help but grin back. They were right, this is fun. Dangerous, oh yes extremely dangerous, but fun. There is no way I’d even dream of attempting this without the security that I’m not human.

I fly side to side across the road, and nearly avoid being tipped over more then once, as the boys twist through side streets the police fall back even further. Finally I hear the police kill their siren and discontinue the pursuit. The boys slowly pull to a stop, avoiding stopping suddenly and sending me straight into the bumper bar to become Jett’s first bumper sticker and a messy one at that. They get out of the car laughing their heads off.

“Untie me you idiots” I say with a laugh and smile.

Once my hands are free I hop out of the trolley and shake my head at them. With blinding speed I swap Chase’s helmet from my head for his glasses resting on the bridge of his nose.

“You actually look pretty good in my stuff” Chase says with a devilish grin.

I turn my attention away from him with a roll of my eyes to find Seb and Jett arguing over the shopping trolley. Seb is clinging to the thing for dear life while Jett is trying to tell him we have nothing to do with it.

“I could name it Carlos! And he could be my pet!” Seb yells back.

I get the feel of eyes watching us and my wolf stirs, perhaps not completely human observer.

“Can we just go?” I ask wrapping my arms around myself.

“Not without my Carlos!” Seb declares.

“I’ll let you have a box of my Oreos if you forget Carlos” Jett has a look of dismay as he offers.

Seb’s eyes grow wide with wonder then grow suspicious.

“For cereal?” he asks like a primary school student.

Jett nods, “As cereal as Fruit Loops.”

I barely comprehend the speed at which Seb releases the trolley letting it roll away and jumps into the passenger seat.

“Hurry up!” he yells to us as we laugh.

Brian undoes the rope connecting the trolley to the car and pushes the trolley away.

“Run free little Carlos” Brian says sarcastically as he places the rope back into the boot of the car.

The drive back to my house was otherwise uneventful. When we got home we had to witness the heartbreaking moment when Jett handed over one of his eleven boxes of Oreos over to Seb who then ran giggling inside with his prized box. I couldn’t help but laugh hysterically. We carried in our strange shopping items and found Dan asleep on the couch. As soon as the shopping was brought inside Dan amazingly was awake, typical lazy brother. He came over and ruffled my hair as he asks the guys if they took care of me properly. An evil smirk was shared amongst the guys before they told my brother I was still breathing.

“What did you do?” Dan asks suddenly turning from playful to having a murderous tone.

Even if he isn’t my biological brother he still acts the part of the older protective brother perfectly.

“We just did some silly stuff to get her happy again” Brian replies calmly as I hear Dom and Nathan pull up outside.

I roll my eyes at the scene before me and skip off to answer the door. I wonder what took the guys so long to get back. We had to lose the cops and even then we beat them home. When I opened the door I was completely shocked.